Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

[Phoebe]

DD: Mom, who are you voting for?
Me: I don't know yet.
DD: I am voting for, who is the guy with the white hair who likes to fish?
Me: John McCain.
DD: I am voting for him.
Me: Oh, really. Why?
DD: Because, he has three daughters and four sons. You have three daughters, too. So you are both cool. That's why.

[migirl]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old



Love that logic!

[DCJenn]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

Mine is voting for Obama because "he has a cool name, mom"

(although I'm pretty sure that there are worse reasons for voting for someone!)

Jenn

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

I can follow her logic Jennifer --- but as I'm an Obama supporter, perhaps she could like the idea that both you and Obama only have daughters?? It was very cute - I love how interested kids are in this campaign.

Quinn wants to vote for Obama, and thinks it will be cool to have the "first brown guy as president". Quinn also says that if McCain wins, he plans to take away ice cream and pizza, and we just can't let that happen. Apparently there's an inflamatory press corp at the elementary school, too.

I took a cake that had "Obama '08" piped on it to my neighbor's house the other day (for a cookout). When he grimaced at it, Jacob said "If you don't like Obama, you don't get any cake!"

Both of my kids were SO crushed when they realized that they don't get to vote. I wish all Americans took advantage of the priveledge.

[Sheherezade]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

They run an election in our school buildings. My DD registered as a Democrat yesterday. She said there were only 12 Democrats and 35 Republicans. She was surprised because she keeps hearing that Obama was ahead in the polls. I explained that Obama isn't ahead everywhere...and that we live in a very Republican area. Both my kids are Obama fans, but most of the kids around here are in to McCain/Palin. I wish they didn't discuss current politics in the classrooms. They didn't allow it in our Brookline school. When the Iraq war (II) started, they made a point of sending home notices that no political info would be allowed on school grounds out of respect for people that may have family members in the service. Obviously, that community was hugely against the war and there were protests in the streets on weekends against it when it was first debated. I'm glad the school created a safe haven for kids. I think that civics lessons and history are fine, but I'm not keen on teachers leading classroom debates on current topics with 6-12 year olds - or endorsing candidates.

[Phoebe]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

I can follow her logic Jennifer --- but as I'm an Obama supporter, perhaps she could like the idea that both you and Obama only have daughters?? It was very cute - I love how interested kids are in this campaign.

Both of my kids were SO crushed when they realized that they don't get to vote. I wish all Americans took advantage of the priveledge.

Yes, I did tell her that. It didn't sway her vote because of the three daughters. I haven't actually told Avery she won't be voting yet. I wish all Americans took advantage of the privledge, as well.

[McPants]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

Heh, I remember when I was a kid and there was an election coming up in Sweden, all pupils in my class were randomly assigned political parties (Sweden has a multi-party system - there are 8 parties represented in the current parliament I believe) and were given the task of campaigning for the party by learning their key issues and political positions and then marketing them as best we could. We even held debates between the parties' representatives. Then when it was time for the actual election, we held one in our class and the teacher counted the results and posted them on the blackboard. It was SO much fun! I remember all the little slogans we drew and how we draped our desks and the classroom in the colors of the parties we were assigned.. Aww, those were the days..

I should probably add that I represented the former Swedish communist party and that I in no way support their politics as an adult, so it didn't brainwash me in any way. It gave us all a genuine interest in politics, however. That teacher was awesome, come to think of it.

[MDPhDWife]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

My kids are saying we're "cheering" for Obama instead of using the term "voting" which I get a kick out of. I heard them going back and forth with a neighborhood kid recently since that neighbor had a McCain sign in their yard and we have an Obama.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

Mine is voting for Obama because "he has a cool name, mom"

(although I'm pretty sure that there are worse reasons for voting for someone!)

Jenn

My son said the same thing!!

[ladymoreta]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

Mine is voting for Obama because "he has a cool name, mom"

(although I'm pretty sure that there are worse reasons for voting for someone!)

Jenn

My son said the same thing!!

LOL! That was my logic back when Clinton/Gore first ran for president. I thought Al Gore was a fun name. My mom was so proud! Then I turned out to be a republican.

[houseelf]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

I'm not keen on teachers leading classroom debates on current topics with 6-12 year olds - or endorsing candidates.

I couldn't agree more. At this age, kids should know the nuts and bolts of what an election is, who is running, and the mechanics of voting, but that it is. They do not have the intellectual, social, or emotional skills to comprehend a platform or the issues.

Kelly

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

My six year old nephew has been very interested in the election and has memorized some of the ads on tv. At the end of them he says his name and that he approves this message. He is an Obama supporter. The other day he came home from school, got 2 pieces of paper and asked my sister how to spell Obama and Biden. Then he asked her how to spell McCain and Palin. He wrote their names on the papers and then went outside with them. He taped the Obama/Biden paper to his scooter and the McCain/Palin one to his friends and they had "presidential races" in the alley behind their house.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

Wow, mine of course isn't old enough to notice but I find that quite encouraging that this election has even struck the younger generation.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Presidential voting according to my 7 yr old

We didn't get any of this until High School growing up--- and in our mock election Dole wiped the floor with Clinton-- it was like 90% Dole and 5% Clinton and 5% undecided...

Now the twins (2nd grade) are making little banners (for both candidates ) at our art desk... And Izzy makes little polling questionnaires all the time and walks around with a clipboard polling each family member to see who we're voting for...

They are having an "election week" at middle school, and the kids in Kate's class even have to debate controversial topics (abortion, Iraq war, environmental policies) from political perspectives (they pulled party affiliation out of a hat.) Kate's friends are disgusted that they pulled "red", since out here it's like 85% or more democrat... :huh:

Personally, I find it annoying to be lectured about politics by middle schoolers. I'm also annoyed by lectures about recycling, air conditioning, hybrid cars, etc., etc...